As Democrats criticize House Republicans for risking a government shutdown to pursue their social agenda, two of the House’s leading abortion foes are leaving some room for possible negotiation on a controversial measure to end all federal spending for Planned Parenthood.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), the leading pro-life voice in the House, is keeping his powder dry on whether he could live with a compromise on the sticky issue of eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood.

Smith, a former chairman of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee, called Planned Parenthood a system of “abortion mills” that has deceived the public about its true purpose. But when asked whether he could accept a final budget deal cutting some subsidies for the organization – but not all — he declined to answer, saying he wanted to hear more about the status of ongoing negotiations.

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) also has been circumspect about prospects for his amendment that has moved to the center of the current funding battle. “The more that people learn about this….the more likely that we will succeed one day,” he said in an interview this week.

Still, Pence today continued to take a hard-line for immediate action. “Mr. Pence’s position remains the same: $61 billion in cuts, defunding of Planned Parenthood and defunding of ObamaCare,” said his spokesman Matt Lloyd.

Pence strongly defended his initiative against Planned Parenthood, which the House approved 240 to 185 during the week-long spending debate in February. And he emphasized that he is not seeking to shut down all family-planning services.

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, likewise, told POLITICO that he was not optimistic about the Pence amendment’s immediate prospects. “The President is dogmatic, and he has made clear that he would rather shut down the government than limit abortion services….But the debate will continue. It’s an educational problem, and we are willing to take the time to discuss the issue.”

Faced with White House opposition to the language in a House-passed funding bill, GOP aides have been working to find a way to alter the Planned Parenthood provision in a way that can pass muster with both Democrats and conservative Republicans.

Other conservatives have kept the door open to a possible deal on Pence’s amendment. “We have to see the final product,” said House Republican Study Committee chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). “We will look at the language,” if there is an alternative. He said that it is “beyond me” that Democrats are “willing to shut down the government” over the taxpayer-funded abortion issue.

Asked whether she is aware of a possible compromise, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List said, “The devil is always in the details.” She added that her group continued to support Pence’s amendment.